The Day is Not Yet Done
by Archived-AndInactive
Summary: And they, since they were not the one dead, turned to their affairs. (Spoilers for Into Darkness)


Chekov is not sure how long he's been on the bridge giving orders, but he's struggling to grasp onto his actions as reality. No matter how often he reminds himself of their importance or how hard he tries to focus, he can't help but feel that he is an observer of his own actions through a thick fog.

The ship is in chaos. The Captain is deceased from radiation poisoning, Spock is chasing the most dangerous man alive – alive and awake, at least – through the streets of London, and most everyone else is either dead, evacuated, or frozen in mourning. Chekov had been lingering in the third group, but at some point had vaguely become aware that as Chief Engineer he was supposed to step in as captain so long as he was not otherwise occupied on the Engineering Deck. Considering he had long since evacuated the engineering deck of all personnel and it was now an eradiated death trap, he figured his duties there were no longer relevant and instead turned his focus to the other things that needed to be accomplished. He was running station to station calling in reports and barking orders, checking for and ensuring the safe landing of all evacuated ships, keeping in touch with med bay as a heartbroken McCoy tended to the endless waves of wounded officers, sending all extraneous people to help in either the med bay or the transporter room, which was also in an overwhelmingly hectic state as technicians struggled to keep an eye on Spock, Khan, and now Uhura. He receives in return choruses of "yes sir"s and even an "aye captain" that he doesn't have the mental capacity to revel in.

Hikaru (_thank god for Hikaru_, Pavel couldn't stop thinking) was also on the bridge and performing admirably in as many positions as he could fill. Both he and Pavel were buried in the many tasks at hand, neither allowing themselves the time or headspace to be sad just now. They work together with ease; as a duo that often had to collaborate when flying the ship, they were spared the added trouble of communication mishaps.

Pavel does not notice Spock's return at first and did not know how long he stood at the doorway. He only knew that when he looked up, the Vulcan was watching him intently, his eyes betraying interest and less sadness than Pavel would have expected given the circumstances, his hair and uniform uncharacteristically disheveled, his face bruised, his calm and collected demeanor perfectly intact.

They merely look at each other for a moment before Pavel, still operating through the fog that separates him from the person standing in his boots and wearing his clothes, suddenly remembers that there are a million things to be done and Spock is captain now and begins speaking.

"Sir! In your absence, I have ordered all remaining officers in Engineering to ewacuate in case of radiation leak. I have sent them to help either in med bay or ze transporter room. I have had Mr. Sulu attempt to hail Starfleet command to explain everything that has happened, I have confirmed ze safe landing of all emergency ships—"

Spock raises a hand. He says simply. "Doctor McCoy is working on a possible cure for the Captain's radiation poisoning using Khan. I am of no help to him there, so I will instead return to my duties on the bridge. You are relieved of any positions you filled in my absence."

Pavel wondered briefly what he meant, than realized that he was probably acting Science Officer as well, since Ms. Marcus was having her broken leg treated in the med bay. He hadn't previously stopped to consider exactly how many titles he and Hikaru were each holding, but considering the substantial absences in the bridge crew (though it was not entirely deserted, the population had severely diminished and those left were not trained in many disciplines, including leadership) it was probably a good number.

This morning he was an Ensign. He could barely remember.

He realized he'd been silent too long.

"I am relieved, sir. Since Chief Engineer is once again my highest-priority position, I will return to the Engineering room to continue work on the stability of the warp core and check for radiation leaks."

Spock said "If you feel well enough, you may return to your duties" and looked like he'd wanted to say something else. Pavel gave him a half smile as he passed by on his way to the lift. Spock granted him an eyebrow for his efforts as the door slid shut and he began his descent.

He was not surprised to find Mr. Scott on the Engineering deck. He was sitting on the cold floor staring blankly at a communicator on the wall, as if he could bring his friend back to life just by looking hard enough. He started when he heard Pavel's footsteps, and his face softened slightly when he saw the young man approaching.

"You look like you've been through the ringer, laddie." He greeted, pretending his voice hadn't broken with sadness. Pavel sat next to him.

"I think I'm getting too old for this," Pavel tried and Scottie almost looked amused, though to Pavel it didn't feel entirely like a joke. This day had been so long it seemed he had aged years through the course of it.

Scottie remains quiet and Pavel's not sure if it's wise to get any hopes up, but he can't quite resist the urge to say it. "Mr. Spock brought Khan back alive. He said that—"

"Alive? Is he out of his bloody mind? Diya remember what happened last time we brought that thing on this ship?" Scottie seemed to have snapped out of his trance, at least.

"—He said that McCoy might be able to use his superpowers to revive the Keptain."

"Well, here's hoping it works. If we cannae give him back his life, how could he possibly throw it away again?" He was going for sarcasm, but the emotion in his tone made it bitter.

Pavel said nothing, but reflected that perhaps Jim had known more than he had anticipated when he approached him one evening back at the academy, asking if he could create a system-altering hack for the Kobayashi Maru.


End file.
